Benjamin mcoabe



(No Model.)

B. MoOABE, 0. R. SWAIN & J. T. SUTTON.

SWITCH EOE GROUNDING TELEPHONE 0B. TELEGRAPH LINES. No. 263,554.Patented Aug. 29, 1882.

,7 I Y 7K 25 1/ Li :5 J; J r- 7 I I I i I G 6 6' 6 I Vi v! i 1 E i w g;g: V g {i 5 1 3 k 1 2 WITNESSES l9? INVENTOR M M igmy a d JMW ywm BY (4m ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN MGGABE, CHARLES R. SWAIN, AND JAMES T. SUTTON, OF PEEKSKILL,NEW YORK.

SWITCH FOR GROUNDING TELEPHONE OR TELEGRAPH LINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 263,554, dated August29, 1882.

"Application filed May 27, 1882.

.To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, BENJAMIN MoUABE,CHARLES R. SWAIN, and JAMES T. SUTTON,

of Peeksltill, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, haveinvented anew and useful Improvement in Switches for Grounding Telephoneand Telegraph \Vires, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure l is a front elevation of our improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectionalside elevation of the same, taken through the line 00 00, Fig. l.

The object of this invention is to prevent telephone and telegraphinstruments from being injured by electricity discharged from the cloudsduring thunder-storms.

The invention consists in a switch for grounding telephone and telegraphwires, con structed with a series of conductors and springs connectedwith the ground-wire, a series of conductors and springs connected withthe instrument-wires, and aseries of conductors attached to a slidingbar and connected with the line-wires, whereby the line-wires can beconnected with the ground-wire or the instrument-wires, as set forth.

A represents a frame, of wood or other suitable material. The frame A issecured to the wall of a room or other suitable support, and to itslower bar is attached abar, B, of copper or other conducting material,with which the ground-wire O is connected. \Vith the bar B are connectedthe ends of as many strips or narrow plates D, of copper or otherconducting material, as there are line-wires E entering the office. Eachof the strips D is provided with a spring, F, of brass or other suitablematerial, so arranged as to press a strip, G, of copper, that may enterbetween the copper plate D and the spring F, down closely upon the saidplate D, and thus make a true contact. The outer ends of the plates 1)and springs F are so formed as to guide the ends of the approachingstrips G into the space between the said plates and springs. Theline-wires E are attached to the middle parts of the strips G, and thesaid strips at their middle parts are attached to a bar, H, of wood orother suitable material, the ends of which slide in grooves in (Nomodel.)

with the ground-wire C, so that the current will pass directly into theground without passing through the instruments. When the storm haspassed the bar H is moved upward, bringing the strips G into contactwith the plates I and springs J, and connecting the line-wires E withthe wires K, leading to the switch-board or instruments. The bar H canbe moved by hand or by means of a rack-bar and pinion operated by acrank, or by a lever or other convenient means.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent-- 1. A switch for grounding telephone andtelegraph wires, constructed substantially as herein shown anddescribed, and consisting of the frame A, aseries ofcondnctorsandsprings, D F, connected with a ground-wire, and a series ofconductors and springs, 1 J, connected with the instrument-wires, andthe sliding bar H, provided with a series of conductors, G, connectedwith the line-wires, as set forth.

2. In a switch for grounding telephone and telegraph wires, thecombination, with a series of conductors and springs, D F, connectedwith the ground-wire O, and a series of conductors and springs, I J,connected with the inn strument-wires K, of aseries of conductors, G,attached to a sliding bar, II, and connected with the line-wires E,snbstantiallyas herein shown and described, whereby the line-wires canbe connected with the ground-wire or the instrument-wires, as set forth.

BENJAMIN MOOABE. CHARLES R. SYVAIN. JAS. T. SUTTON. \Vitnesscs:

ELBERT P. JAMES, GEo. D. MoOUToHEN.

